Journal article

Safety and COVID-19 Symptoms in Individuals Recently Vaccinated with BCG: a Retrospective Cohort Study

SJCFM Moorlag, RC van Deuren, CH van Werkhoven, M Jaeger, P Debisarun, E Taks, VP Mourits, VACM Koeken, LCJ de Bree, T ten Doesschate, MC Cleophas, S Smeekens, M Oosting, FL van de Veerdonk, LAB Joosten, J ten Oever, JWM van der Meer, N Curtis, P Aaby, C Stabell-Benn Show all

Cell Reports Medicine | CELL PRESS | Published : 2020

Open access

Abstract

Bacille Calmette-Guérin (BCG) induces long-term boosting of innate immunity, termed trained immunity, and decreases susceptibility to respiratory tract infections. BCG vaccination trials for reducing SARS-CoV-2 infection are underway, but concerns have been raised regarding the potential harm of strong innate immune responses. To investigate the safety of BCG vaccination, we retrospectively assessed coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) and related symptoms in three cohorts of healthy volunteers who either received BCG in the last 5 years or did not. BCG vaccination is not associated with increased incidence of symptoms during the COVID-19 outbreak in the Netherlands. Our data suggest that BCG..

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University of Melbourne Researchers